Mendizabal Leads Central to 3-1 Win at Home

Sep 15, 2009

Junior Maite Mendizabal recorded a
match-best 16 kills and added eight digs as the Central Connecticut
State University volleyball team defeated Holy Cross (1-8) by a
score of 3-1 (25-18, 25-23, 21-25, 26-24) on Tuesday night in
Detrick Gymnasium. Junior captain Amanda Bayer recorded a
match high 38 assists and added 15 digs to help CCSU improve to 3-4
on the season.

Neither team could get an edge to start the match. CCSU and
Holy Cross were tied nine times before the score read 17-15, when
the Crusaders held the slight advantage. The Blue Devils rattled
off eight straight points, beginning with a kill by Mendizabal and
ending with an ace by senior captain Jamie Baumert. Central went
on to win the first set 25-18. Mendizabal lit it up to start the
match, recording seven kills on a .600 hitting percentage.

The second set started just like the first, but stayed that
way. Neither team led by more than three points the entire set,
with the Crusaders holding their three point advantage at 15-12.
CCSU went on an 11-5 run to turn the tables and take a 23-20 lead.
Holy Cross would call a time out, but the Blue Devils would hold on
to win the second set 25-23. Mendizabal and Baumert each totaled
four kills in the set, while freshman Blaike King led the
defense with five digs.

After CCSU cut Holy Cross's third set lead to one at 10-9, the
Crusaders went on a 7-1 run to take control of the set. Holy Cross
was led by Chelsey O'Donnell during the stretch, recording three
assists and a kill. The Blue Devils wouldn't get closer than three
the rest of the way out as the Crusaders made it 2-1 on a 25-21
third set victory. King tallied a team high five kills in the set,
while Bayer contributed nine assists and eight digs.

With their home crowd behind them, the Blue Devils got out to
the early lead they needed in the fourth set, leading 14-7. Holy
Cross then made another huge run, this time a 10-1 stretch, to take
a 17-15 lead. CCSU fought back and eventually regained the lead at
21-20. After scoring the next two points, one on a block by
Baumert and Bayer, the Crusaders made another run to tie the set at
24. Needing to win by two at this point, Central scored the final
two points of the match with a kill by Mendizabal and an attacking
error by Holy Cross to win the fourth set 26-24.

Baumert finished with seven kills, five digs and a match-best
five blocks, while King tallied nine kills and 12 digs in the
victory. Sophomore Sara DeLacey also recorded
seven kills, while junior Kaitlin Petrella led the
defense with 17 digs on the night.

Holy Cross was led by Megan Lynch's 13 kills and 20 digs. The
Crusaders also received 37 assists and seven digs from
O'Donnell.

Central will next head on the road to the Dartmouth Invitational
on September 18 and 19. The Blue Devils will take on Northeastern
on Friday and then face the host Big Green and Northeast Conference
foe Sacred Heart on Saturday.